The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-11-02
NATURAL.GAS EXPLOSION.
Fifteen Persons Injured, Sew
eral Fatally, in Pittsburg.
Two Large Buildings Narrowly
Escape Destruction.

The first serious natural-gas explosion IN
Pittsburg, Penn, in two years occurred
few minutes after 10 o'clock the other morn
ing in the Hotel Albemarle and Bijou Theatre
Block, on Sixth street The explosion was at
tended with frightful injuries to number Oh
people, and great destruction to some OF
the finest property in the city. For several
days past workmen employed by the Peoples
Gas Company had been engaged in repairing
the pipes running into the theatre and hoteL
The odor Of escaping gas was noticed early ID
the morning, but, for some reason, nothing
was done to have the gas turned
off. About 1915 o'clock there were
three terrific explosions simuitene-
ously in the cellars Of D. 7. Reed, oPtlclan'
Hotel Albemarle, and the Bijou Theatre;
The conclusion shook buildings for several
squares and broke every plate-glass window
in the block. Almost instantly flames shot
up from various parts of the block, but
before they gained much head
way they were controlled by the
prompt work of the Fire Department. Ihe
Hotel Albemarle, the ijou Theatre entrance,
and the shops which fronted on Sixth street
between the hotel entrance and Library Hall,
all were terribly shattered.
The damage by the explosion will reach
$4,000. The greatest loss IS to the HOTEL
Albemarle, which will exceed $4,000. The
Bijou Theatre loses 81, 500; d. +. Reed, optl-
clan, s2,50U, and Feick Brothers, dealers IN
artificial limbs, Si,500. Fully So, 600 worth OF
plate glass was broken by the concusslon. %
Fifteen persons in all were injured, five OF
them, it was thought, fatally. The complete
list of the injured is as follows: Jacob Din
CARA young man, einploye of the Peoples Ma
tural Gas Company ,hurt internally and badly
burned, and one leg and arm broken; Will
die Thomas Scanlan, ,employe OF the Peoples
Natural Gas Company, badly burned about
The head, legs and hands; Mike Mebranzl,
Italian, employe of the Peoples Natural Gas
Company, severely burned about hands, face,
and back Blake, colored man, injured in
ternally; H. T. Feick, injured internally
and face severely cut by flying glass:
John Feck, cut by glass about face and
hands; nose cut almost off. Leon Kacharfkl,
employe of D. r. Reed, injured in the back.
Gus Date, member of Engine Company
No. 1, struck in the face by falling timbers.
Unknown woman, blown into the gutter,
and severely hurt G. G.. Nichols, editor
of street and severely cut and bruised; John
Mulberry, a colored employe, of the Peoples
Natural Gas Company, fearfully burned
about the head, face and hands; col
ored man, also all employe Of the Peo-
Piles Company, was slightly burned about
the hands and face; Michael. l.Humphrles, arms
and head severely burned; Charles Meyer,
broken shoulder blade: Joe Geadino, Italian
laborer, burned about the head and shoulders,
and injured internally.
A careful inquiry made at the scene OF the
disaster shows beyond doubt that the ex'
plosion was caused by the ignition Of the
Peoples Company gas, while workman were
making connection in the basement OF
Feick's establishment.